Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)
Hormone therapy for the pattern no one has read yet.
Physician-Led Hormone Care for Women & Men
Perimenopause. Menopause. Postmenopause. Complex cycle concerns. PCOS and PMDD. Testosterone decline. Disrupted sleep, mood changes, cognitive shifts, changes in drive, these are not things to push through or chalk up to getting older. They are physiological. They have names. And there are options.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy is a prescription-based medical approach used when hormone changes are contributing to persistent symptoms. Bioidentical means the hormone is structurally identical to what your body produces on its own, a distinction that shapes how it interacts with your receptors and how your care is calibrated over time.
At Bright & Well, your BHRT care is led day to day by a Nurse Practitioner who specializes in hormone health, with protocols set and reviewed by Dr. Roxanne Ouellet, MD, one of Atlantic Canada’s most experienced physicians in hormonal medicine.
Wondering where to start? That’s what the consult is for.
You don’t have to decide whether you qualify before you book. Whether BHRT is right for you is a clinical decision, made with you, after we understand your symptoms, your history, and your bloodwork, read together as a whole picture. There’s no severity threshold you need to reach first, and being told your results were “normal” doesn’t rule you out. It’s often a reason to come in.
A Hormone Consult (BHRT) makes sense if you recognize yourself here. You don’t need all of these. One is enough.
- Sleep that’s broken or lighter than it was, and energy that fades through the day
- Mood, anxiety, or focus that doesn’t match your life
- Weight or body composition shifting with no change in how you eat or move
- Changes in your cycle, libido, or recovery
- Perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause, PCOS, PMDD, or testosterone decline
- Symptoms you’ve been told are stress or aging, that you can’t fully name yet
And this isn’t only a women’s list. Testosterone declines in men too, gradually and usually written off as age. The same consult evaluates it for him.
How It Works
Step 1: Your Initial Hormone Consult
A dedicated full picture assessment with our Nurse Practitioner to go through your symptoms, health history, and what’s actually been going on.
Step 2: Comprehensive Bloodwork
In-clinic bloodwork to assess your hormone patterns and what’s actually driving your symptoms. If you have recent labs, bring them. If you don’t, we handle it here (additional charges will apply).
Step 3: Your Treatment Plan
A follow-up appointment to discuss our findings. If hormone therapy is right for you, you’ll receive an individualized protocol with precise dosing. Dr. Ouellet reviews every file and sets every protocol- your Nurse Practitioner walks you through exactly what’s happening and what comes next.
Step 4: Ongoing Support
Regular follow-up means your care stays calibrated as your body responds and your needs evolve. Your Nurse Practitioner is your ongoing point of contact. Dr. Ouellet stays involved in your protocol throughout.
Meet Dr. Roxanne Ouellet, MD
Dr. Roxanne Ouellet is a medical doctor with over 12 years of clinical experience, five in emergency medicine, seven dedicated entirely to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for women and men. She founded Clinique DRO in Moncton and has supported over 3,000 patients through personalized hormone care. She brought her practice to Halifax through Bright & Well.
The model is designed so patients receive Dr. Ouellet’s clinical depth without the bottleneck of direct appointments with her. You work day-to-day with her Nurse Practitioner team- who are your primary point of contact and relationship. Dr. Ouellet reviews every chart, sets every protocol, and manages care in the background. You get a specialist’s eye on your case without a specialist’s waitlist.
Hormones We Assess and Treat
Estrogen Therapy: Estrogen plays a role in neurological signalling, bone health, cardiovascular regulation, and thermoregulation.
Progesterone Therapy: Progesterone is involved in nervous system signalling and hormonal balance. Shifts may occur independently or alongside estrogen changes.
Testosterone Therapy: Testosterone is present in all genders and contributes to metabolic, cognitive, and musculoskeletal regulation.
Thyroid: Thyroid hormones help regulate metabolism, temperature, and energy use. Subtle changes can affect multiple systems.
Pregnenolone: Pregnenolone is a precursor hormone involved in steroid hormone pathways and overall endocrine regulation.
DHEA: DHEA is an adrenal hormone that contributes to hormone production pathways. Shifts can occur with age and stress.
FAQ
When should someone consider the Initial Hormone Consult (BHRT)?
It may be a fit when hormone changes are contributing to symptoms that won’t settle. Disrupted sleep, mood changes, low energy, brain fog, shifts in metabolism, or changes in libido or recovery.
People book while navigating perimenopause, menopause, testosterone changes, PCOS, or more complex cycle concerns. The consult looks at your symptoms, your health history, and your hormone patterns together, to work out whether prescription hormone therapy is a fit for you.
What’s the difference between the Initial Hormone Consult (BHRT) and the Naturopathic Health Consult?
The Initial Hormone Consult (BHRT) is a medical evaluation with a Nurse Practitioner, for anyone looking at prescription hormone care. Whether you already know you want it or you’re not sure yet.
The Naturopathic Health Consult is virtual, and it looks at the whole picture first. Hormones, lifestyle, cycle health, and the foundations underneath them. It’s a good starting point if you’re not sure where your symptoms are coming from, or if you want to build the groundwork before or alongside medical care.
Not sure which one fits? Start with whichever feels closer. If the other turns out to be the better path, we move you there without starting over.
How do I know if I am experiencing perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the transition leading up to menopause, and it can begin several years before your periods stop.
Common patterns include changes in cycle timing, disrupted sleep, mood changes, brain fog, low energy, or shifts in metabolism. Because these changes come on gradually and look different from person to person, many people come in for an evaluation to understand what their body is doing. You don’t need to wait until you’re sure.
How long does it take for hormone therapy to work?
Everyone responds differently. Many patients begin to notice early shifts in the first few weeks, things like improved sleep, steadier energy, or better day-to-day resilience.
Hormone therapy is gradual by design. It usually takes several months for levels to stabilize and for your body to adjust, which is why progress is assessed over the first 8 to 12 weeks, with your dose adjusted as needed.
Do I need to be in menopause to book?
No. Many people come in during perimenopause, when symptoms can start years before menopause.
Hormone changes also show up with testosterone shifts, certain cycle-related conditions, and other patterns that affect daily life. The consult helps work out whether medical hormone therapy is a fit for you. You don’t need recent bloodwork to book, and being told your past results were normal doesn’t rule you out. It’s often a reason to come in.
Will my insurance cover Bioidentical Hormone Replcement Therapy?
Coverage varies by provider and plan.
Consultation visits may be eligible for reimbursement under some extended health plans, and prescription medications and lab testing may have varying coverage. Our team can provide documentation to support your insurance submission where it applies.
Is BHRT safe?
BHRT is a medical therapy. It’s prescribed and monitored under physician oversight, so safety is built into how care is delivered.
A lot of the fear around hormone therapy traces back to one 2002 study that linked hormone replacement to higher cancer risk. That study used older, synthetic hormones, in women well past the age most people start therapy today. The research has moved a long way since then, and so has the clinical guidance.
Whether BHRT is safe for you is a separate question, and it’s one we answer with you. Every protocol is set and reviewed by Dr. Ouellet, and your dose is based on your own bloodwork and symptoms. Care is adjusted over time as your body responds.
If you have concerns about safety given your personal history, the Initial Hormone Consult (BHRT) is the right place to raise them. That’s what it’s for.
What makes your approach different from other clinics?
Two things, and they’re structural, not a matter of style.
First, the physician oversight. Dr. Ouellet reviews every chart and sets every protocol for every BHRT patient. You work day to day with a Nurse Practitioner, who is your main point of contact, but the clinical depth behind your care comes from a physician with 12+ years of experience, 7 of them dedicated to hormone therapy, across 3,000+ patients. Most private clinics give you one or the other. A nurse practitioner prescribing on their own, or a physician you see once and never again. This model gives you both.
Second, two kinds of care under one roof. If naturopathic support makes sense alongside your medical care, or instead of it, that team is in the same clinic, working from the same file. No starting over. Most hormone clinics offer one or the other. Bright & Well was built for them to work together when your picture calls for it.
